0-100km/h Acceleration Capped at 5 Seconds

The phrase "breaking 100km/h in 3 seconds," once reserved for supercars, has now become a common feature in vehicles priced around 200,000 yuan. This shift is largely due to the "democratization of horsepower" in the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector. Some NEV models even boast 0-100km/h acceleration times of under 2 seconds.

However, the rise in popularity of these high-performance NEVs has been accompanied by an increase in safety hazards. In recent years, there have been frequent reports of acceleration-related accidents caused by the sudden torque bursts characteristic of electric vehicles. Most ordinary drivers lack the reaction time and control skills necessary to manage vehicles capable of such rapid acceleration.

The draft compilation explanation of the Technical Conditions for the Safe Operation of Motor Vehicles (hereinafter referred to as the Technical Conditions), formulated by the Ministry of Public Security, directly highlights the issue. It points out that acceleration-related accidents during passenger vehicle startups are frequent, primarily due to drivers' inadequate preparation and control abilities when operating in high-acceleration modes.

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security released the Technical Conditions for public comment, proposing new regulations on contentious issues such as intelligent driving assistance, acceleration control, and electric door handles. One of the newly introduced clauses mandates a default calibration: "After each power-on or ignition of a passenger vehicle, it should operate in a default state where the 0-100km/h acceleration time is no less than 5 seconds."

The rationale behind setting the 5-second threshold is that the 0-100km/h acceleration times of driving school training vehicles and most fuel-powered passenger vehicles typically exceed 5 seconds. This value is chosen based on the acceleration levels that both novice and experienced drivers can generally adapt to, thereby minimizing accidents caused by excessive power output during vehicle startup. Previously, Huawei's Executive Director Yu Chengdong publicly stated that the pursuit of 2-second or 3-second acceleration in some vehicles is excessive and devoid of practical meaning; safety should always be the top priority.

Since the beginning of this year, the calibration and regulation of the automotive sector have significantly intensified. A flurry of new regulations has been implemented, covering areas such as intelligent driving promotion, door handle design, battery specifications, corporate review requirements, product review standards, and vehicle factory compliance certificates. The regulatory scope and intensity of relevant departments have been continuously expanding.

The automotive industry's excessive focus on redundant performance is now being forcibly "cooled down," with authorities guiding technological development back to its core essence: safety.

New Regulations Surface Once Again

From the current market landscape, nearly every NEV manufacturer offers models with 0-100km/h acceleration times under 5 seconds, mostly priced between 150,000 and 300,000 yuan. When promoting these vehicles to customers, salespeople often emphasize the 0-100km/h acceleration performance as a key selling point. This performance, previously exclusive to supercars and luxury models priced over 800,000 yuan, indeed garners significant consumer attention.

However, this excessive emphasis on acceleration performance can blur the lines between ordinary family cars and high-performance vehicles. It may lead drivers to misuse or abuse the powertrain without possessing the corresponding control skills, thereby increasing driving risks. Under the influence of marketing that promotes "extreme acceleration" and "thrilling sensations," it can also easily trigger drivers' curiosity and even foster a "passionate" driving mentality, laying the groundwork for accidents.

The reality is that an ordinary driver without professional training finds it challenging to safely and skillfully handle a high-horsepower car with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3 seconds.

Data indicates that in the first three quarters of 2025, traffic accidents caused by vehicle acceleration out of control increased by 17% year-on-year nationwide, with NEVs accounting for a staggering 43% of these incidents.

Therefore, the proposed Technical Conditions for public comment stipulate that the default 0-100km/h acceleration time for passenger vehicles should be no less than 5 seconds, acting as a necessary brake on the industry's "racing" trend.

However, the draft Technical Conditions for public comment do not entirely restrict vehicles' performance potential. Vehicles can still offer sport or track modes, but it emphasizes that upon startup, they should default to a relatively moderate driving mode, i.e., with 0-100km/h acceleration performance exceeding 5 seconds, to prevent accidents caused by inadequate driver preparation and control. Subsequently, drivers can switch to a more powerful mode if desired.

In other words, after vehicle startup, regardless of whether the vehicle's 0-100km/h acceleration time is 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 4 seconds, the default acceleration must not exceed 5 seconds and must be over 5 seconds. If faster acceleration is desired and the vehicle meets the conditions, it can be manually switched.

Track Calibration and Safety Enhancements

Additionally, the draft Technical Conditions for public comment also encompass power output management and multiple regulations aimed at enhancing vehicle safety. For instance, it requires pure electric and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles to be equipped with a pedal misapplication acceleration suppression function. This function can detect and suppress power output during standstill or creeping and alert the driver through a noticeable signal device (e.g., sound or light signal). Pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles should also be capable of monitoring the working status of the power battery, automatically detecting, recording, and warning of abnormal battery cell conditions, and alerting occupants through a noticeable signal device (e.g., sound and light signals) in case of a thermal event. For pure electric buses and plug-in hybrid buses with a length of 6 meters or more, the external part of the battery box should not catch fire or explode within 5 minutes after an alarm.

The draft also stipulates that when the vehicle speed exceeds 10km/h, the display device in the front part of the vehicle's cabin should automatically turn off entertainment video and game functions to prevent driving distractions from a technical standpoint.

In response to recent frequent traffic accidents caused by locked car door handles, the draft Technical Conditions for public comment clearly state that "passenger vehicles should ensure that each occupant can at least enter and exit through two different doors. Each car door (excluding the tailgate) should be equipped with inner and outer door handles featuring a mechanical release function. If an electric inner door handle is installed, a mechanical inner door handle should also be provided as a mechanical emergency inner door handle, and a conspicuous sign should be placed near the mechanical unlocking and opening device."

Behind these numerous detailed rules lie precise controls aimed at addressing frequently occurring accident risk points in the current industry. Since the beginning of this year, the密集 (dense, this word is Chinese, here it is kept for the original meaning) implementation of new regulations for the automotive industry signifies that the state's management and governance of NEVs have entered a new stage.

Lu Fang, Chairman and General Manager of VOYAH, stated at the 2025 Guangzhou Auto Show media briefing that with the increased emphasis on anti-involution by relevant state departments, future competition in the automotive industry will become increasingly rational and compliant. The competitive environment may improve, and competition methods will become fairer.

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